Disclosure about Fair Value of Financial Instruments

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2011

Disclosure About Fair Value of Financial Instruments [Abstract]

Disclosure about Fair Value of Financial Instruments

16. Disclosure about Fair Value of Financial Instruments

The following methods and assumptions were used to estimate the fair value of each class of financial instruments for which it is practicable to estimate that value.

Mortgage Loans and Other Real Estate Loans Receivable — The fair value of mortgage loans and other real estate loans receivable is generally estimated by discounting the estimated future cash flows using the current rates at which similar loans would be made to borrowers with similar credit ratings and for the same remaining maturities.

Cash and Cash Equivalents — The carrying amount approximates fair value.

Available-for-sale Equity Investments — Available-for-sale equity investments are recorded at their fair value based on publicly available trading prices.

Borrowings Under Unsecured Lines of Credit Arrangements — The carrying amount of the unsecured line of credit arrangement approximates fair value because the borrowings are interest rate adjustable.

Senior Unsecured Notes — The fair value of the senior unsecured notes payable was estimated based on publicly available trading prices.

Secured Debt — The fair value of fixed rate secured debt is estimated by discounting the estimated future cash flows using the current rates at which similar loans would be made with similar credit ratings and for the same remaining maturities. The carrying amount of variable rate secured debt approximates fair value because the borrowings are interest rate adjustable.

Interest Rate Swap Agreements — Interest rate swap agreements are recorded as assets or liabilities on the balance sheet at fair market value. Fair market value is estimated by utilizing pricing models that consider forward yield curves and discount rates.

The carrying amounts and estimated fair values of our financial instruments are as follows (in thousands):

	September 30, 2011				December 31, 2010
	Carrying Amount		Fair Value		Carrying Amount		Fair Value
Financial Assets:
Mortgage loans receivable	$	68,378	$	70,258	$	109,283	$	111,255
Other real estate loans receivable		252,233		257,382		327,297		333,003
Available-for-sale equity investments		789		789		1,103		1,103
Cash and cash equivalents		136,676		136,676		131,570		131,570
Financial Liabilities:
Borrowings under unsecured lines of credit arrangements	$	390,000	$	390,000	$	300,000	$	300,000
Senior unsecured notes		4,432,092		4,564,824		3,034,949		3,267,638
Secured debt		1,888,083		2,434,344		1,125,906		1,178,081
Interest rate swap agreements		1,368		1,368		482		482

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U.S. GAAP provides authoritative guidance for measuring and disclosing fair value measurements of assets and liabilities. The guidance defines fair value as the exchange price that would be received for an asset or paid to transfer a liability (an exit price) in the principal or most advantageous market for the asset or liability in an orderly transaction between market participants on the measurement date. The guidance also establishes a fair value hierarchy which requires an entity to maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs when measuring fair value. The guidance describes three levels of inputs that may be used to measure fair value:

Level 1—Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities.

Level 2—Observable inputs other than Level 1 prices such as quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities; quoted prices in markets that are not active; or other inputs that are observable or can be corroborated by observable market data for substantially the full term of the assets or liabilities. Interest rate swap agreements are valued using models that assume a hypothetical transaction to sell the asset or transfer the liability in the principal market for the asset or liability based on market data derived from interest rates and yield curves observable at commonly quoted intervals, volatilities, prepayment timing, loss severities, credit risks and default rates.

Level 3—Unobservable inputs that are supported by little or no market activity and that are significant to the fair value of the assets or liabilities.

Items Measured at Fair Value on a Recurring Basis

The market approach is utilized to measure fair value for our financial assets and liabilities reported at fair value on a recurring basis. The market approach uses prices and other relevant information generated by market transactions involving identical or comparable assets or liabilities.

	Fair Value Measurements as of September 30, 2011
	Total			Level 1		Level 2			Level 3
Available-for-sale equity investments (1)	$	789		$	789	$	—		$	—
Interest rate swap agreements (2)		(1,368	)		—		(1,368	)		—
Totals	$	(579	)	$	789	$	(1,368	)	$	—

(1) Unrealized gains or losses on equity investments are recorded in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) at each measurement date.

(2) Please see Note 11 for additional information.

Items Measured at Fair Value on a Nonrecurring Basis

In addition to items that are measured at fair value on a recurring basis, we also have assets and liabilities on our balance sheet that are measured at fair value on a nonrecurring basis. As these assets and liabilities are not measured at fair value on a recurring basis, they are not included in the table above. Assets and liabilities that are measured at fair value on a nonrecurring basis include assets acquired and liabilities assumed in business combinations (see Note 3), assets held for sale and asset impairments (see Note 5 for impairments of real property and Note 6 for allowances on loans receivable). We have determined that the fair value measurements included in each of these assets and liabilities rely primarily on company-specific inputs and our assumptions about the use of the assets and settlement of liabilities, as observable inputs are not available. As such, we have determined that each of these fair value measurements generally reside within Level 3 of the fair value hierarchy. We estimate the fair value of real estate using unobservable data such as net operating income and estimated capitalization and discount rates. We also consider local and national industry market data including comparable sales, and commonly engage an external real estate appraiser to assist us in our estimation of fair value.